Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1887-03-18
pRospECr FOR NEW STATES.

PROSPECT FOR NEW STATES.
The San Francisco Bulletin says the
bill to annex the Panhandle of Idaho to
Washington passed both Houses Of Con-
cress. but failed to receive the signature
Of the President, and is, consequently,
dead. 1t may be re%surrected in the
Fiftieth Congress, and then, perhaps, the
whole subject of gerrymandering the
Northwestern Territories may receive
consideration. 1t is certain that the bill
which has just failed had not attracted
the attention it deserved. 1t is time
taat the people at large had agreed upon
a policy on the subject Of the organiza-
ton of Territories and their erection into
States. 1t is nearly twelve years since
the last State was admitted to the
Union, and eight years had then elapsed
since the admission of the one before it,
SO that it may be said that in twenty
years we have only taken in one new
partner into the national firm. 1t is
nineteen years since Wyoming and
Alaska were organized as Territories.
In the last twenty years the population
Of the United States has increased some
thing like twenty millions. 1t is thus
evident that it is not from any check to
the growth of the country that the bust
mes of State-making and Territorial or
ganization has become inactive. The
real cause has been political jealousy and
the closeness Of parties in the Senate.
The rage for organizing Territories
and admitting them as States, which
prevailed during the thirty years prior
to the war, was largely due to the ire
pressible conflict between slavery and
freesoil. The South was ever on the
lookout for a chance to add two new
Senators to its fighting strength in the
Senate, and the North, not to be out.
done, and reluctant to deny the right of
any Territory to admission if it had the
requisite population, was always alert to
offset q new slave State with a new free
State. Hence, ten new stars were added
to the flag between 1880 and 1860.
1t is impossible, however, that the
present policy of inaction can be main
tanned for an indefinite period. To keep
Montana out in the cold forever is
neither just nor wise. 1t would be
establishing an American Ireland, full Of
discontinued people, on our northern
border. Nor is it just to this Coast.
whose influence goes for SO little in Con-
gress, that Washington Territory should
be denied a representation which is en-.
joyed by Florida, Delaware and Rhode
Island. Something will have to be done
to satisfy the people.
Perhaps, as practical a way as could
be found to solve the problem, would be
to follow in the track of the bill which
passed both Houses last month, and ia
encourage the consolidation of Terri.
tories. so that when they applied for En-
ablipg Acts the application should come
from a substantial segment of the nation.
Suppose, for instance, that instead of the
Panhandle only, the whole OF Idaho
were annexed to Washington. The two
would make a respectable State, nearly
as large as California, with a population
of, perhaps, 300, 900 souls. Suppose
Utah were divided up, so that a part
should go to Colorado, a part to Wyo.
ming. and a part to Nevada; would not
q judicious ~gerrymander be q simple way
of disposing of the Mormon diff Guilty
1t is reasonably certain that Congress
will admit no more small States, whose
Legislatures would earn their living by
selling Scholarships. But it might be
induced to pass an Enabling Act for two
or three Territories consolidated into
one; and if afterward, the new State
chose to parcel itself out into its original
elements, the Constitution points out the